Construction material and structure made therefrom



CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL AND STRUCTURE MADE THEREERCM R E L D N A H X O L 6 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Feb. 27, 1933 j.

CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL AND STRUCTURE MADE THEREFROM June 9, 1936. L. XHANDLER Filed Feb. 27, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 r Y a .f im ,c y n @Wx 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 L.. OXHANDLER CONS'RJG'I'0N` MATERIAL AND STRUCTURE MADE THEREFROM I Filed Feb. 27, 1953 June 9, 1936.

June 9, 1936- L. oXHANDLl-:R Y 2,043,445

CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL AND STRUCTURE MADE THEREFROM Filed Feb. 27, 1935 6 Sheets-Shea?I 4 June 9, 1936. oxHANDLER CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL AND STRUCTURE MADE THEREFROM Filed Feb. 27, 1933 e sheets-sheet 5 7, fc. WMM/4, v

June 9, 1936. oxHANDLER CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL AND STRUCTURE MADE THEREFROM jm ma@ FW Patented June 9, 1936 UNITED STATES APATENT Aol-luci:

. 2,043,445 y ooNs'rnUc'noN MATERIAL -AND As'raucy ma MADE TnEaErncM `The primary object of the present invention is to producel a simple and novel material which will make possible the construction of dwellings, other buildings, or other structures `quickly and at a low cost.

In carrying out my invention I produce panels of fibrous material which are structurally strong and rigid, are good heat insulators and. are

waterproof and soundproof and can be manufactured at a low cost. Therefore, viewed in one of its aspects, the present invention may be said to have for its object to produce a simple and novel panel that may be used for a great variety of purposes. l

My improved panels are constructed mainly oi' fibrous materials which, ordinarily, will be paper stock, preferably impregnated with asphalt, tar, oil, or other bituminous or waterproofing material or material to render the structure verminproof. However', if it be desired that the structure shall be reproof, thepanels may be made of asbestos or other fibrous iireproof material. Therefore, viewed in another` of its aspects, the present invention may be said to have for its object to produce a strong, light` panel of brous flreproof material adapted for various uses.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention isl characterized will hereinafter. be pointed 'out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a panel embodying the present invention, only the end portions of the panel being shown, and portions of the two front facing layers being broken away; Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, being in part an end viewand in part a section;

' Fig. 3 is a section similar to that of Fig. 2, on a much larger scale, showing only a fragment of `a panel that does not have the outermost facing layer appearing in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through one of the tubes. showing itlled with a material which is a heat insulator or a sound deadener, or both, l`only a fragment of the tube being shown; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a fragment of a wall containing panels such as shown in Figs. 1-3;. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the wall shown in Fig.p 5, but on a larger scale and the panels and the facing sheets being shown partly in elevation; Fig. 'l is a perspective view of'fragments of two meeting frames ing in Fig. 5; Fig. 9 is a plan view of a key ring 5 adapted to be set in the recesses of the facing sheets4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 10 is ra section on line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is an elevation or face view of a panel to which' a few of the rings shown in Figs. 9 and 10 have been applied; Fig. 12 is 10 a section on line I 2--I2 of Fig. 11, the scale being the same as that of Figs. 9 and 10; Fig.' 13 is a front elevation o1' another form of panel; Fig.

14 is a View taken on the plane of line |4-I4 of Fig. 13, being a view partly in edge elevation 15 and partly in section; Fig. 15 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section, portions of the front facing layers being broken away, illustrating one manner of forming a wall of panels such as illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, the plane 20 of the section being substantially that of line |5--I5 of Fig. 17; Fig. 16 is a section on line |8--I6 of Fig. 15; Fig. 17 is a section on line i 1-I 1 of Fig. 15; Fig. 18 is a horizontal section on a much larger scale through the wall shown 25 in Fig. 15, showing pla'stering or cement on both sides of the wall, and only a small fragment oi the wall being shown: Fig. 19 is a horizontal section through a wallof a building in 'sulated with my improved material interposed 30 ing one of the tubes of Fig. 22 positioned be- 40 tween the fibrous facing layers of a panel; Fig.

24 isa view similar to Fig. 22 showing a shell that is square in cross section instead of round; Fig. 25 is a face View of a modified form of panel, the front facing layer being broken away; Fig. 26 45 is a section, on a larger scale, on line 26-26 of Fig. 25; Fig. 27 is a section through the cellformlng body or core of Figs. 25 and 26, showing only a fragment; Fig. 28 is a sectior on line za-za of Fig. 27; Fig. 29 is a face view of still 50 another form of panel, showing only a corner thereof; Fig. 30 is a section on line 30-30 of Fig. 29, on a larger scale; Fig. V31 is a section through a wall built up of panels such as shownv in` Figs. 29 and 30 interposed between panels 55 of the type shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; Fig. 32 is an elevation of a fragment of one of the fibrous facing sheets having bosses attached thereto instead of formed integral therewith; Fig. 33 is a section, on a larger scale, on line 33-33 of Fig. 32; Figs. 34 and 35 are views of opposite sides of a facing sheet having bosses aiflxed to both sides; Fig. 36 is a section, on a larger scale, on line 36-36 of Fig. 34; Fig. 3'7 is an elevation of a fireproof panel, the panel being broken away between the ends thereof; Fig. 38 is an edge View of the panel shown in Fig. 37, a fragment of the metal frame being broken away; Fig. 39 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section,

showing a fragment of a wall composed of panels such as shown in Figs. 37 and 38, in the vicinity of the meeting corners of four adjacent panels;

Fig. 40 is a section on line iD-40 of Fig. 39; and Fig. 41 is a section on line lI-tl of Fig. 39.

vReferring to Figs. 1-3 of the drawings, I, I represent tubes of brous material of any desired wall thickness, diameter', and length, placed side by side in contact with each other, preferably in rows. These tubes form a slab-like body or core that is interposed between two parallel fiber sheets 2 and 3 and adhered to these sheets in any suitable manner. In the arrangement shown on an exaggerated scale in Fig. 3 the tubes and the facing sheets 2 and 3 are secured together by i means of suitable adhesive l. The facing sheets are provided with bosses 5 projecting from their inner faces and fitting into the ends of the tubes. In the arrangement shown, the bosses are`produced by deforming or embossing the sheets so that where, there are bosses on one side of a sheet there are corresponding recesses on the other side.

For many purposes the members I, 2 and 3 may well be made from paper stock, preferably stock impregnated with tar, asphalt, oil, or any suitable reprooiing or Weatherproofing material or material to protect the paper stock against insects or vermin. A panel composed of these tubes and facing sheets is very stift' and sturdy and forms a good heat insulator as well as being a poor conductor of sound waves. If desired, the tubes may be filled with a suitable heat-insulating or sound-deadening material, as indicated at 6 in Fig. 4; such materials being too well known to require description here.

Also, if desired, a strip or band 1 oi' fibrous material may follow along the edges of the panel so as to form with the facing sheets a box or casing that completely houses the tubes. Furthermore, this edge strip or wall may be provided with a rib 8 extending entirely around the same in a plane midway between the broad faces of the panel. In the arrangement shown, the rib 8 is produced by folding, embossing or molding the strip or edge wall in such a manner as to provide it with a trough-like part extending along the center from end to end while the strip or edge wall lies in a flattened condition. 'I'he strip material i's so placed about'the panel that the open side of the trough is on the inner side, so that the walls of the trough form a hollow projecting rib. This rib may be stiffened in any suitable way as, for example, by filling the channel therein with ribbons 9 of the same material as the rest of the panel, glued in place.

Furthermore, the panel may be faced with any desired material adapted to the purpose or use for which the panel is intended. Thus, in Figs. 1 and 2 the panel is shown as being facedon one side with a sheet III secured to the facing sheet 3 by any suitable adhesive. The sheet I0 may be of any suitable material; it may be stiff or iiexible; and it may be flreproof or nre-resistant. For some purposes the sheet I0 may be a material similar to ordinary roong sheets or shingles covered with broken rock, slate, gravel or other mineral matter.

My improved panels may be used in any of their various forms as the walls, roofs or ceilings of buildings, or as insulation for walls', ceilings or 10- roofs of buildings or any other structures, or they may be used as a foundation on which to plaster. In some instances it may be desirable to build a wall, whether it be a vertical wall, a roof or a ceiling, that shall be composed entirely of panels, l5 without employing any other framework. In Figs. 5-8 I have shown how the panel which I have just described may be adapted for this purpose, each panel being set into a suitable rigid frame. Each frame is made of uprights Il, II 20 and top and bottom pieces I2, I2 which, in the case of building construction, may be two by fours or two by sixes suitably joined together. Each frame member has a groove I3 extending throughout the length thereof, at the longitudinal center 25 on the inner side thereof. 'Ihe ends of the grooves in the top and bottom pieces meet the grooves in the side pieces, so as to form an endless groove encircling the frame on ,the inner side. These grooves serve to key to the frame holding ele- 30 ments for the fibrous panels. In the case of panels such as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the projecting ribs 8 fit into these grooves, as best shown in Fig. 6. The necessary number of framed panels of the proper sizes and shapes, are placed edge to edge and may conveniently be fastened together by their frames `in any suitable way. In the arrangement shown, as will best be seen in Figs. 'l and 8, adjacent frames may be fastened t0- gether by means of plates I4 overlying the joints 40 in what may be termed the end edges; each plate having a flange I5 extending at right angles therefrom over the front or rear faces. The plates may be fastened to the frames in any suit;- able way as, for example, by means of screws I6. 45 In order to make the construction weatherproof, layers I1 of felt or other suitable packing material may be placed between the meeting faces of the frames. I prefer, also, to provide the frames with external grooves I8 similar to the grooves 50 I 3 and to thicken the packing layers at the middle so as to provide them with cords or ribs adapted to fill the registering grooves I8 in opposed meeting frame members.

Assuming that the facing sheets I0 of Figs. 1 55 and 2 are on the front or outer side of the wall, it will be seen that the frames for the panels are left exposed. I therefore cover the frame members with sheets or strips 20 of the same material or nish as the sheets I0, as best shown in Figs. 60 5 and 6. The opposite side of the wall may be sheathed in any suitable way as, for example, by suitable wallboard panels 2 I.

In some instances it may be desirable to plaster over either or both faces of a panel or a wall composed of panels. In that case the plaster will enter the depressions createdwhen the bosses 5 are formed and interlock the plaster with the facing sheet or sheets. If it be desired to insure a better keying of the plaster to the facing sheets than that which results from the mere entrance of the plaster into the depressions or recesses, some or all of the .depressions or recesses may be provided with means positively to hold the plaster against withdrawal. Thus, as shown in the rings; these projections having on their inner interiors ofdwellings or the like.

sides undercut walls, or walls that slope downwardlyand outwardly. When plaster enters a recess or depression containing one of these rings, it flows underneath the undercut or inclined walls of the projections on .the rings and, after setting, is positively locked against withdrawal. I wish to have it understood that when I speak of plaster I mean not only a. plastic mortar containing lime, but any plastic material that is or contains Portland or other cement or any other materials that may be applied in a plastic state and will then set or harden.

As heretofore stated, the Vedge wall l of the fibrous panel is not required in all cases. Thus, in the arrangement shown in Figs. 13-18, the fibrous panels consist wholly of the tubes l and the facing sheets 2 and 3; the tubes and the spaces between them being filled with the sounddeadening or heat-insulating material 6, or being left empty, as desired. When such a panel is set into a frame of the kind heretofore described,4 it may be interlocked with the frame by introducing plaster between it and the frame members; such plaster fiowing into ,the grooves i3 and also into the spaces between the outermost rows of tubes in the panel. Also, any desired number of such panels, without frames, may be set edge to edge, as shown in Fig. 15, and may be interlocked by introducing plaster into the spaces formed between meeting rows of tubes, as indicated at in Fig. 15. Either or both faces of a wall constructed of such panels may be covered with plaster. In Figs. .15 and 17, the outer face of the wall is covered with plaster, as indicated at 26, that may give what is termed a stucco finish. Fig. 15 also illustrates the manner in which the keying rings 22 areemployed to assist in holding the stucco.

In Figs. 15-1'1 is shown a means for securing the wall to a concerete foundation. Referring to these figures, 2l represents a foundation of concrete in whichl is embedded a metal bar 28 having a ange 29 rising above the top of the foundation. The wall is set up beside this flange and is fixed thereto by bolts 3|, passing through the flange and through the wall. The bolts may pass through some of t@ tubular elements Iin the lowermost row, in which case Vit is desirable that these tubular elements be filled with concrete, as indicated at 32; the bolts therefore being embedded in the concrete.

In Fig.'18 there is shown an arrangement in which the wall has plaster coatings on both sides. 'Ihus one of the coatings, 33, may be stucco or concrete for exposure to the elements, while the other coating, 34, may be of a type suitable for the In Figs. 19 and 20 my improved panels are employed as fillers between studdings 35; 35 in aA wall having an outer sheathing 36 andan inner plaster layer 31. The plaster is interlocked with the facing sheet 2, as heretofore explained, and with pieces of expanded metal lath 38 or the like covering the edge faces of the studdings. fi

In Fig. 21 my improved panels, composed of the members I, 2 and 3 in which the tubular members 3 are made very short so asto produce thin panels, are employed as a sheathingorvlining nailed or otherwise secured across the inner faces or edges of the studdings 35 of a wall. These panels are in turn concealed by sheets or panels 3 9 in the form of wallboard, wood or other suitable material.

For some purposes less rugged panels than those in which the cellular core is-composed nf sturdy tubes may be employed. I have therefore shown in Figs. 25-30 two panels, differing slightly from each other, in which the cores are composed of interlocked strips 4| ,and 42 crossing each other at right angles to each other and interlocked in the manner of ordinary cell cases.

There is thus produced a cellular core in which the cells are square in cross section. The facing sheets 43 and 44 are accordingly embossed to provide inward projections 45 that are square so as to fit into the square cells. If desired, the bosses may consist simply of trough-shaped ribs pressed inwardly, so that almost the entire area of each facing sheet remains in the original plane thereof or, as indicatedin Figs. 29 and 30, the bosses may be formed as in Figs. 1-3, by causing entire areas 46, equal to the cross sectional areas of the cells, to be depressed out of the planes on the facing sheets. 'I'he cells in this type of panel may be filled with the sound-deadening or heat-insulating material 6, as in the case of the other panels. It will, of course, be understood that the facing sheets and the cell-forming strips are glued together by means of any suitable adhesive material.

In Fig. 31, I have shown a thick wall containing three layers of panels; the inner layer being of the type shown in Figs. 25-30, and the two outer layers being of the type having cores consisting of the nested tubes. The compound wall is shown 'as being coated on both of its faces with suitable plaster, which coatings are indicated at 4l and 48. It will, of course, be understood that this particular figure of the drawings is intended simply to illustrate one of the many ways in which a compound wall .may be constructed and faced, if desired.

While it will ordinarily be advantageous to ernboss the sheet material forming the fibrous facing layers of the panels, it may sometimes be advisable to form the bosses or projections that interlock them with the cells as separate pieces secured to the facing sheets. Thus, in Figs.l 32 and 33, there is shown a facing sheet having square bosses 5i glued to one face thereof. In Figs. 34, 35 and 36 is shown another facing sheet 52, having glued to one face disks 53 adapted to fit into f the ends of round cells, and having glued to the .fibrous material,.of the same length as the cells,

of small diameter, and closely nested together will serve admirably as such a special filler or filling material. :'I'hus, in Figs. 22 and 23, I have shown a fragment of. a panel in which the tubes l are lled withsmall tubes 55.y The size of these small tubes may be evident from the fact that the drawa ings may be assumed to illustrate tubes I that are about two inches in diameter. In Fig. 24 the arrangement is the same as in Fig. 22 excepting that, instead of a tube or a cylindrical shell I, there is a square cell or shell 56.

It is sometimes desirable that panels of the general character heretofore described be fireproof and lnot merely fire-resistant. I have therefore illustrated a panel of this kind in Figs. 37-41. Referring to these figures, 6I, 62 and 63 represent tubes and spacing sheets, similar to the elements I, 2 and 3 heretofore described, excepting that they are made `from asbestos or other suitable fibrous flreproof material. The sheets 62 and 63 are embossed, as indicated at 65. If desired, the tubes and the spaces between the tubes may be filled witha iireproof filling material 66.

If desired, the flreproof panels may be provided with frames which should be made of metal. In the arrangement shown, each panel is contained in a sheet metal frame 61 the members of which are trough-shaped; the marginal portions of each panel fitting into the troughs of the surrounding frame.

Where a wall is to be formed of a series of panels arranged edge to edge, the frames may be provided with suitable means for interlocking the panels with each other. `In the arrangement shown, each frame has at one corner, that may be termed the upper corner, an upwardlyprojecting plate 68 having outwardly-extending flanges 69, 69. The corresponding lower corner of the frame is provided with openings to permit the flange plate on an underlying panel to extend up into the frame, with the flanges or ears projecting out from the side of the frame. The frame is also cut away at the other lower corner to permit the flanges on a panel lying adjacent to the frame at that corner to enter into the frame. As best shown in Fig. 40, these latter flanges may be fastened to the frame of the panel through the side of which they penetrate, by screws 10. In this way -three panels, corresponding to the two upper panels and the lower lefthand panel in Fig. 39, are securely ,fastened together. l

In assembling these framed panels, asbestos. cement or the like may be interposed between the meeting edges of the frames thereof, as indicated at 1| in Figs. 39 and 40.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a few preferred forms of panels and have illustrated only a few uses thereof, I do not desire to be limited to the particular details illustrated or to the particular uses or adaptations referred to; but intend to cover all forms `and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A panel adapted to form a section of a wall, comprising a slab-like fibrous body including parallel facing sheets and an interposed cellular core, and a frame of about the same thickness as the slab-like body following the edges of and tting around said body, said frame and said body having interlocking portions to hold against displacement relatively to the frame in a direction transverse to the plane of the frame.

2. A panel for construction purposes comprising two parallel fibrous sheets and numerous fibrous tubes disposed between and engaged at their ends with the said sheets, the sheets being deformed to produce bosses fitting into the ends of the tubes and corresponding recesses in the 5 faces of the panels, and key elements in said recesses adapted to be engaged with a covering of plaster or the like and cause the latter to be keyed to the panel.

3. In a wall, a panel comprising parallel fibrous l0 sheets and closely spaced fibrous tubes interposed between and secured at their ends to said sheets,

a member beside an edge of the panel, and plaster or the like interlocked with said member and entered into the spaces between the outermost 15 tubes at said edge of the panel.

4. A panel comprising two parallel sheets of fibrous material and a series of tubular members of uniform length disposed between and secured at their ends to said sheets, said tubes being 20 placed close together across the entire length and breadth of the sheets, and the outer sides of the border tubes being exposed to permit the entrance of plaster or the like into the space between the marginal portions of the sheet to cause 25 the panel-to be fixedk into and interlocked with a wall.

5. A panel for construction purposes comprising a wooden frame and a slab-like body of fibrous material having approximately the same thick- 30 ness as the frame enclosed by the frame, said frame having longitudinal grooves in the inner and outer edges of the members thereof, and key means forming part of said fibrous body and extending from the latter into the inner gIOOVeS.

6. In combination, a panel comprising two parallel sheets and a series of tubular members of uniform length disposed between and secured at their ends to said sheets, the outer sides of 40 the border tubes being exposed to permit the entrance of plaster or the like between the marginal portions of the sheet, a member beside an edge of said panel and having an edge recess therein, and a body of plaster or the like extending into said recess and into the adjacent edge of said panel.

7. A panel for construction purposes comprising two parallel fibrous sheets and numerous open-ended fibrous cells disposed between and engaged at their ends with said sheets, said sheets being deformed to produce bosses fitting snugly into the ends of the cells and corresponding, plaster-receiving recesses in the faces of the panel, and there being a wooden frame surrounding said panel and fixed thereto, the frame and the panel being of substantially the same thickness so that their faces are substantially flush with each other.

8. In a. wall, studdings, rigid fibrous panels of the same thickness as the studdings fixed in and filling the spaces between the latter, the outer face of said panels being recessed, plaster-holding members overlying the edges of the studdings on the outer side, and a layer of plaster covering the outer sides of the panels and the studdings and being engaged in said recesses and with said plaster-holding members.

LEOPOLD OXl-IANDLER. 

